Machine for marking hosiery or other articles



G. F. JOST EPW389443 MACHINE FOR MARKING HOSIERY OR OTHER ARTICLES April27, 1937.

Filed Sept. 18, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. GMZIauefEnk LfofiiATTORNEY.

1 I 7 Jim I I 1 'llllflL-nlllllll l April 27, 1937.

G. F. JOST MACHINE FOR MARKING HOSIERY OR OTHER ARTICLES Filed Sept. 18,1935 3 SheetsSheet 2 ATTORNEY.

April 27, 1937.

G. F. JOST 2,@78,448 MACHINE FOR MARKING HOSIERY OR OTHER ARTICLES FiledSp tQ 18, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR. uaZZu/e firm JOfi ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATE'E' OFFIQE MACHINE FOR MARKINGHOSIEBY OR OTHER ARTICLES 27 Claims.

This invention relates to machinery for marking or printing hosiery orother articles, by transferring the desired markings from a strip ofpaper or other sheet material to the articles to be marked.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved construction and arrangement whereby the hosiery or otherarticles to be marked may be caused to pass l successively through amachine that will automatically transfer the desired marking from astrip of paper to the hosiery or other articles, in a manner that willobviate the necessity of any hand work, in the transfer of the markingsfrom the paper to the stockings or other articles, even though heat maybe required to make the transfer effective, the hand work required beingthat which is necessary for the proper positioning of the stockings orother articles on the machine.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features ofconstruction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiencyand desirability of a machine of this kind for transferring wax or otherdesired markings from paper to the goods or articles to be marked.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists inmatters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in whi'ch Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a transfer machine forplacing the desired markings on stockings or other articles, embodyingthe principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective View of certain portions ofsaid machine.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the stockings, showing the manner inwhich the same is folded for placing on the machine.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section on line 4-4 in Fig. 1 of thedrawings.

Fig. 5 is a detail section on line 55 in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Fig. 6 is a similar view on line 6--6 in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Fig. 7 is a similar view on line 'l-J in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail section on line 88 in Fig. 7 of thedrawings.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a machine body I providedat its top with a horizontal table 2, and provided at its ends withrollers E: and 4, which are preferably adjustable toward and away fromeach other, and upon which rollers a conveyor belt 5 is supported. Inthis way, the upper portion of the belt 5 is adapted to rest on thetable 2, and is adapted to serve as a support for the folded stockings6, shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, each stocking having been folded asindicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The table 2 may have spacing marksI thereon to indicate the positions of the stockings.

A strip of paper 8, upon the lower surface of which the wax transfersare carried, or other impressions or markings, is arranged to travelover sheaves 9, l!) and l I, and around the rotary feed roller l2 andthe idler l3, from the roll l4 upon which the supply of paper iscarried. As fast as the transfers are removed and placed on thestockings, the waste paper is collected on the roll I5, the latter beingthe feed roll that pulls the paper along crosswise of the conveyor belt5 previously mentioned.

In order to transfer the wax markings from the paper to the stockings, apresser plate i6 is provided, immediately above the conveyor belt 5,containing an electrical heating element, and by means of a flexiblecord I1 current is supplied to said element to keep the plate heated tothe desired temperature. This plate I6 is carried on the lower end of arod 18 that is. movable up and down in the bearing is, which latter isadjustable horizontally on the supporting arm 20, and a spring 2| isinterposed between the lower end of the bearing 19 and the top of thepresser plate, and when the arm 2!) moves downwardly, the said springprovides the presser plate I5 with a yielding pressure on the paper 8,sufficient to press the latter against the stocking 6 on the conveyorbelt 5, so that the wax impression will be transferred from the paper tothe stocking, in the desired manner.

For the driving of the machine, an electric motor 22 is provided andconnected by a belt 23, at whatever ratio is desired, with thelongitudinal shaft 24, which latter is connected by the worm gearing 25with the transverse shaft 26, upon the axisof which latter roller 21 ismounted to cooperate with the idler roll 28 for gripping and feeding thelower portion of the conveyor belt 5, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 ofthe draw ings. To intermittently rotate the roller 27, the shaft 26 isprovided with a plate 29 upon which, a lever or dog 36 is pivoted, andprovided with a roller 3! for engaging the stationary cam 32, as shownmore clearly in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The shaft 33 for theroller 21 is, as previously indicated, disposed in alignment with theshaft 25, and this shaft 33 is provided with a ratchet or clutch plate35 having notches 35 for engagement with the dog or detent 30, previous-1y mentioned. Thus, the continuous rotation of the shaft 26, by themotor 22, through the worm gear 25, will cause intermittent rotation ofthe shaft 33 and the rolier 21 because of the disengagement of the dogor detent 3% from one of the notches 35 each time the roller 31 engagesthe cam 32 previously mentioned. In this way, the belt 5 is stationaryeach time the presser plate H5 is moved downwardly to transfer animpression from the paper to the next stocking.

To operate the arm 26 up and down, in timed relation to the intermittentfeeding motion of the belt 5, the cam 29 is properly shaped to engagethe roller 3% on the vertically disposed bar 37?, which latter ismovable up and down in the bearings 38 and 39, there being a spring 49,as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to cause the upward movement of thebar 3?, and the consequent upward movement of the plate It away from thepaper strip.

To provide an intermittent feeding movement of the paper strip 8, theshaft t! of the roller l2, previously mentioned, is provided with apinion 42 for engagement with the vertically disposed rack 43, whichlatter is suitably mounted in the body of the machine to slide up anddown, with a coil spring 4' 1 suitably arranged to move the rack 43downward, and with adjusting means 45 to adjust the tension of saidspring, as well as the stroke of the rack thereby to adjust the feedingstroke of the paper strip 3 under the heated pressure plate. The lowerend of the rack 43 is disposed in position to engage the cam 45 on theshaft 26, so that the rack 3 is moved up wardly by this and then moveddownwardly by the spring M previously mentioned. The shaft 4! and theshaft M of the roll l5 are connected together by a coil spring drivingbelt 48, so that the paper 8 will be given an intermittent feedingmotion in properly timed relation with the presser plate l6 and theconveyor belt 5, so that each time the presser plate It movesdownwardly, a wax impression on the paper will be held stationary belowthe presser plate, while the stocking or other article is also beingheld stationary by the conveyor belt and the pressure exerted by saidplate will cause the belt 5 to rest on the table 2, so that the desirednecessary pressure may be exerted upon the stocking or other article. Ifdesired, the periphery of the roll 52 may be provided with small, sharppoints to engage the paper strip 8, to properly feed the latter. Topermit the rack 53 to move downwardly, without rotating the shaft Mbackward, the ball or roller clutch device t9, shown in Fig. 8 of thedrawings, may be interposed between the shaft 6! and the roller I2,whereby the roller will be rotated when the rack 43 moves upwardly, butwill not be rotated when the spring 4 moves the rack downwardly.

Thus, the invention provides means for practically automatically, bysimple machinery, transferring wax impressions or markings from a stripof paper to stockings or other articles, by means of a heated presserplate, thus obviating the necessity of any hand work in the marking ofthe stockings or other articles. Of course, the stockings must be placedby hand on the conveyor belt, but there is no hand work involved in thetransfer of the wax impressions from the lower surface of the paper tothe stockings or other articles. Previously, this work was done by hand,by using an ordinary flat iron, or hand iron, of suitable character, butthis hand work is eliminated by the use of the machine, as shown anddescribed.

The machine shown and described is illustrative of one form of theinvention and it will be understood that while the transfers are shownas being fed transversely of the conveyor belt upon which the stockingsare carried, it is obvious that the transfers can be fed or supplied inany suitable or desired manner, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

It will be seen that the casting or machine body I, together with theplate H5 and the various belt and strip feeding instrumentalities,constitute a structural machine unit distinct from the table 2, whichlatter with its feed rolls 3 and 4 and belt 5 and legs 5!] constitutesanother structural unit. Preferably, as shown, the machine unit body iis supported by the under frame 5| of the table unit. By employing thetwo units in this manner advantages are obtained in connection with theconstruction and assembly of the machine, as well as in the use thereof.With the strip 6 provided with a separate and independent feed, theimpressions thereon can be closer together than are the stocking orarticles 8 on the feed belt 5, and thus a saving in paper, from whichthe said strip is usually made is accomplished, as compared with whatwould be the case if the impressions were spaced apart the same distanceas the stockings or other articles. The belt 5 rests on the top surfaceof the table 2, with enough of the latter left exposed for use by theworkers in folding and removing the hosiery or other articles. In thisway the hosiery or other articles can be spaced apart the desireddistance, and the length of the table and belt are such that a pluralityof said articles can be approaching the strip and the plate 5 I 6, whenthe machine is in operation, and the stamped articles can be removedfrom the belt to the surface of the table, after they move out fromunder the strip and hot plate. The workers can stand at either or bothsides of the table, in order toproperly place the folded hosiery on thebelt at one end of the table, and to remove them at the other endthereof. Preferably, the stamped hosiery should remain long enough onthe belt to enable the wax impression to cool and harden. Obviously, thedecalcomania or transfer unit having the body I can be assembled withthe table unit in a manner to permit relatively convenient and easyseparation of one unit form the other, for the purpose of makingrepairs, or for any other desired purpose.

Also with the construction. shown and described, the means for feedingthe tape or strip 3, and the means for vertically reciprocating the hotplate 56, are supported entirely at one side of the table unit uponwhich the belt 5 travels longitudinally. Obviously, the invertedU-shaped casting, shown more clearly in Fig. 4, for supporting theshafts upon which the feed rolls Z'l and 28 are mounted, may be fastenedto the under side of the table 2, or it may be supported on the body 5in any suitable or desired manner. Thus the compact machine unit havingthe body l is structurally distinct from the table unit, and is set intothe side of the latter, in the manner shown, and the continuouslyrotating shaft 26 of the said machine unit is adapted to be connected tothe shaft 33, through the medium of the elements 29 and 3 3, aspreviously explained, whereby the table unit need support no movingparts except the conveyer belt 5 and the rolls 3 and 4, and possibly therolls 2'! and 28 as well, although it is obvious that these two feedrolls may easily be a part of the machine unit having the body l uponwhich all other movable parts are'supported. And, of course, by usingthe tape or strip 8 transversely of the belt 5, the problem oforganizing the two units, and of satisfactorily feeding the strip 8 bymeans of simple power transmitting connections, is simplified andrendered more satisfactory not only in the manufacture and assembly of amachine of this kind, but also in the commercial use thereof.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine for transferring wax or other impressions from sheetmaterial to stockings or other articles or goods, the combination ofmeans forming a table extending horizontally and longitudinally of themachine, supported independently on the floor and forming the main bodyportion of the machine, of a height and width convenient for use byworkers at each side thereof, conveying means for receiving and movingthe goods or articles lengthwise of said table along a'predeterminedpath thereon, in predetermined spaced relation, feeding means forfeeding the transfers transversely of said predetermined path, above thegoods or articles to be marked, in predetermined spaced and timedrelation to said spacing of the articles, an intermittently operatedpresser plate toward which the said spaced articles are fed by saidconveyer means, for subjecting each successive transfer to downwardpressure against the article to be marked, while the article issupported against the pressure and in marking position by the fiat topsurface of said table, and cooperating instrumentalities whereby theconveying means and the transfer feeding means are stationary each timethe presser plate is operated.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, comprising means for heating thesaid presser plate, whereby wax or similar impressions may betransferred to the article to be marked.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, said presser plate having springmeans for causing it to exert a yielding pressure upon the article to bemarked.

4. A structure as specified in claim 1, said conveying means comprisingan endless belt operating longitudinally of the machine, and saidtransfer feeding means comprising a strip of sheet material, withrollers and sheaves for supporting and operating said strip of sheetmaterial intermittently in properly timed relation to said intermittentfeeding motion of said endless conveyor belt.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1, said conveyor means comprisingan endless belt arranged to operate longitudinally of the machine, andworm gearing and an automatic clutch device for actuating said endlessbelt.

6. A structure as specified in claim 1, said transfer feeding meanscomprising a rack and pinion actuated roller, together with a one-wayclutch interposed between the roller and said pinion.

7. A structure as specified in claim 1, said transfer feeding meanscomprising a rack and pinion actuated roller, together with a one-wayclutch interposed between the roller and said pinion, in combinationwith a spring for actuating the rack in one direction, and a cam foractuating the rack in the other direction, said cam serving as theinstrumentality for intermittently moving the transfer feeding means.

8. In a machine for transferring impressions from a strip to hosiery orother articles, an oblong table, a conveyer belt extendinglongitudinally of said table, with its upper stretch resting andtraveling on the top of the table, the latter being wider than the beltto provide exposed table surface upon which to work, means for feedingsaid belt with the articles spaced apart thereon, means forv feeding thestrip in suitably timed relation to said belt, and means for pressingthe strip downwardly against each article, while the latter is supportedagainst the pressure and in marking position by said table, to transferthe impressions to said articles successively.

9. A structure as specified in claim 8, said strip being arranged aboveand transversely of said belt.

10. A structure as specified in claim 8, both said strip and said belthaving intermittent feeding motion, independently of each other, so thatthe impressions on the strip may be closer together than the articles onthe belt.

11. A structure as specified in claim 8, comprising feed rolls formingsaid means for feeding the belt, engaging the lower stretch of thelatter below the table in the transverse plane of said plate and strip,with rolls at the opposite ends of the table to support said belt.

12. In a machine for transferring wax or other impressions from sheetmaterial to stockings or other articles or goods, an endless beltconveyer for receiving and feeding the articles in predetermined spacedrelation, means for feeding a strip of transfers relatively to saidarticles, in predetermined timed relation thereto, a heated plate forpressing the transfers upon the articles, a table for supporting thebelt against the pressure of said plate, supported independently on thefloor, a shaft extending transversely of and below said table, with thelatter extending a distance at each end thereof beyond said strip, afeed roll in axial alignment with and operated by said shaft forengaging and feeding the belt, means on said shaft for causing actuationof said transfer strip, and means on said shaft for causing actuation ofsaid heated plate.

13. A structure as specified in claim 12, comprising an automatic clutchbetween said shaft and said roll, in axial alignment therewith, wherebycontinuous rotation of the shaft will be converted into intermittentrotation of said roll.

14. A structure as specified in claim 12, having means for causingcontinuous rotation of said shaft, and devices in axial alignmenttherewith and whereby such rotation is converted into intermittentmotion on the part of said belt and strip and plate.

15. A structure as specified in claim 12, said table having exposedsupporting surfaces at each side of the upper stretch of said belt, forthe convenience of workers at each side of the table.

16. A structure as specified in claim 12, the

'means for actuating the strip comprising a rack and pinion with a oneway clutch between the pinion and the strip, and a cam on said shaft toactuate the lower end of the rack.

17. A structure as specified in claim 12, said shaft being disposedtransversely of said belt,

with cams thereon forming said means for causing actuation of the plateand strip.

18. A structure as specified in claim 12, the means for actuating theheated plate comprising a vertically reciprocating member supportingsaid plate and operated by cam connection with said shaft.

19. In a machine for transferring impressions from a strip to hosiery orother articles, a table having a conveyer belt operating longitudinallyof the top thereof, to receive and carry the articles along in spacedrelation, forming a relatively long table unit, supported independentlyon the floor, and a relatively small machine unit disposed transverselyof and at an intermediate point in the length of said table, saidmachine unit comprising a body structurally distinct from said tableunit and having power operated means thereon for feeding the belt andthe strip, in timed relation, and for heat pressing the paper againstsaid articles, to transfer the impressions thereto.

20. A structure as specified in claim 19, said feeding means for thestrip being supported entirely at one side of said table, on saidmachine unit body.

21. A structure as specified in claim 19, in which said strip issupported to travel transversely of and above said belt.

22. In a machine for transferring wax or other impressions from sheetmaterial to stockings or other articles or goods, the combination ofconveying means for receiving and moving the goods or articles along apredetermined horizontal path, in predetermined spaced relation, theconveying means being operable in a manner to maintain said spacedrelation of the articles thereon, feeding means for feeding thetransfers successively, in timed relation to said spacing of thearticles, into position to be pressed downwardly against the stockingsor other articles, a flat faced presser operative for successivelypressing the transfers flatwise against the stockings or other goods,and a flat support for said conveying means, subject to the pressure ofsaid presser.

23. A structure as specified in claim 22, said means for feeding thestockings or other articles comprising an endless conveyor beltextending horizontally and longitudinally of the machine, with tablesurface at each side thereof for the workers, and feed rolls forengaging the lower stretch of said belt.

24. A structure as specified in claim 22, said means for feeding thetransfers being arranged to operate transversely of an over the saidpath of travel of'the stockings or other articles, so that the lattertravel along said path in a horizontal plane while the transfers travelin a transverse path in a horizontal plane above.

25. A structure as specified in claim 22, including means for heatingsaid presser, thereby to hot-press the transfers upon the stockings orother articles.

26. A structure as specified in claim 22, said means for feeding thestockings or other articles comprising an endless conveyor beltextending horizontally and longitudinally of the machine, and feed rollsfor engaging the lower stretch of said belt, together with a continuouspower drive and means intermediate the latter and said rolls to convertthe continuous drive into intermittent feeding motion of said rolls andsaid belt.

2'7. A structure .as specified in claim 22, said means for feeding thestockings or other articles having intermittent motion, and the meansfor feeding the transfers having similar motion, whereby the saidarticles and transfers are stationary, with the transfers superposedflatwise upon the articles, each time the presser 1s operated.

GUSTAVE FRANK. J 0ST.

